The U.S. patent of Basavanhally et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,185,846, granted Feb. 9, 1993, hereby incorporated by reference herein, describes the need for arranging the ends of optical fibers in an X-Y matrix configuration for such purposes as free-space photonics switching. Such switching would allow selective transfer of light from one optical fiber bundle to another optical fiber bundle such that any of various pairs of fibers from the two bundles could be temporarily interconnected. The successful functioning of such devices requires that free end surfaces of the optical fibers of each bundle be arranged in a predetermined configuration such as an X-Y matrix to within tolerances as small as one micron or less than one micron.
The Basavanhally et al. patent teaches the use of photolithographic masking and etching for making a matrix array of apertures into which the optical fiber ends can be inserted with the aid of guiding apparatus described in the patent. While this technique is sufficiently precise, considerable skill and time are required for the fabrication and assembly, of the disclosed apparatus. It would be desirable to reduce the skill, expense and time necessary for making such apparatus.
The invention makes use of the technology described in the U.S. patent of Bonanni, U.S. Pat. No. 4,818,058, granted Apr. 4, 1989, hereby incorporated by reference herein, which describes an optical fiber connector comprising a pair of support elements on opposite sides of a plurality of parallel optical fibers. The support elements are made of monocrystalline silicon into which matching V-grooves have been formed by photolithographic masking and etching. Each fiber is held within matching V-grooves of the two support elements. The connector contains a pair of alignment pins which allows it to be joined to another identical connector to splice together two arrays of optical fibers.